Recent updates to Flood Hub offer enhanced capabilities for flood experts in aid organizations, governments, and research groups. Notably, a new layers panel enables users to add or remove various layers from the map, facilitating a deeper understanding of each layer individually. With more information now available on Flood Hub, this feature is particularly valuable. Additionally, an enhanced gauge panel and updated Help Center provide comprehensive explanations of Flood Hub’s features and capabilities, including detailed information about the different flood models presented.

Enhanced Support for Field Work through New Tools

Our suite of flood forecasting tools, including Flood Hub, Floods API, and historical dataset, is designed to support aid organizations, governments, and researchers who can benefit from detailed and long-lead-time flood information. A primary reason for our focus on collaborating with these groups is their established operational systems for delivering advanced warnings and preemptive relief. In 2024, we witnessed the outcomes of these efforts firsthand through our partnerships with Give Directly and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Nigeria and Bangladesh. This collaboration enables aid organizations to utilize our technology in their response efforts and helps communities become more resilient to future floods.

Supporting AI-Powered Flood Relief Efforts in Nigeria

Previously shared progress from international partnerships highlights the leverage of AI in flood preparedness. In June 2024, Google.org provided funding to Give Directly and the International Rescue Committee to support the delivery of cash assistance to 7,500 individuals in Nigeria.

GiveDirectly operated in Kogi state on the Niger river, while IRC worked on the Benue river in eastern Nigeria. GiveDirectly utilized the Google Flood API alongside their anticipatory action systems to receive village-specific alerts and initiate cash transfers.

“With Google’s historical data, we identified areas most at risk of flooding,” explains Federico Barreras, humanitarian manager at GiveDirectly. “Using the Google Flood API, we determined when floods were about to hit our target areas, allowing us to deliver cash assistance ahead of the peak to those most in need.”

This collaboration resulted in a first-of-its-kind AI-powered cash relief effort in Africa, enabling cash aid to reach communities at least 5-7 days ahead of the flood peak in Nigeria during September-October 2024. The goal of advance relief is to provide families with the financial means to secure food and protect their assets before disaster strikes. Research indicates that prior knowledge of a disaster can increase preparedness and reduce the financial burden of responding to the disaster.

In addition to incorporating the Google Flood API into their trigger logic for unlocking cash relief for 3,000 households in Adamawa State, the IRC is utilizing the platform in other projects beyond Nigeria. Miles Murray, the IRC’s Anticipatory Action Specialist, notes: “We are replicating this approach of automating flood Anticipatory Action in other contexts as well, such as Northern Kenya, where previously there was no flood forecast data but with AI, there are now dozens of reporting points enabling more families to benefit from AI-powered cash relief.”

Cash Transfer Support for Affected Families in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, where the Jamuna River basin experiences devastating annual flooding, GiveDirectly utilized Google’s Flood Hub to deploy AI-driven anticipatory action. Before the flood season in July, families in high-risk areas received cash transfers, enabling them to purchase essentials and safeguard their property. This approach highlighted the power of AI in supporting flood forecasting and directly benefiting affected communities. “In Bangladesh, anticipatory action triggers are usually set at the district level, which covers large areas,” says Abir Chowdhury, Bangladesh interim country director, GiveDirectly. “With Google’s AI-powered forecasts, we piloted a more precise approach — delivering anticipatory cash at the village level to reach the most at-risk communities before floods hit.”

Future Outlook

As we continue to expand Flood Hub’s coverage and enhance its functionality, we remain committed to developing new tools that improve flood preparedness, response, and recovery worldwide. Our goal is to empower international organizations to act swiftly and help strengthen the resilience of local communities in the face of climate crises.

Government agencies, NGOs, and researchers can access a free, shareable map of all river gauge data — past and forecasted — updated daily. Visit our Flood Forecasting research site to access Flood Hub or obtain more information.